Apparatus for applying tampon removal cords



Get. 24, 1967 I 3,348,866

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TAMPON REMOVAL- CORDS H. ETZ

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APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TAMPON REMOVAL CORDS Oct. 24, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Sept; 10, 1965 l/w nvmv fiszsspr 532 United States Patent C 3,348,866 APPARATUS FOR AEWLYING TAMPON REMOVAL CORDS Herbert Etz, Wuppertal-Langerfeld, Germany, assignor to Dr. Carl Hahn KG, Dusseldorf, Germany, a corporation of German Filed Sept. It), 1965, Ser. No. 486,794

Claims priority, application Sweden, Sept. 14, 1964,

11,029/64 20 Claims. (Cl. 289-18) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLUSURE This specification describes a knot-tying device applicable for use in providing removal cords on tampons. The apparatus has a tampon pad producing member and a cord looping member. The cord looping member comprises a cord conveyor which, in operation, describes an orbit-a1 path around the tampon being tied. The cord conveyor has a means for gripping the cord and carrying the so-gripped cord along the orbital path whereby it circles the tampon.

There is further provided a second cord-gripping means adapted to grip the length of cord at a distance from the first cord-gripping means such that sufficient cord is defined between the two gripping means to loop the tampon and tie the knot therein.

There is further provided a knotting means which causes the beginning or front end of the cord to be knotted about the cord length forward of the second cord-gripping means.

There is provided cutting means for disengaging the knotted loop from the remainder of the cord length forward of the second cord-gripping means. It will therefore :be appreciated that in a subsequent tampon-tying operation, the cord-gripping means which was first in the preceding cord tying operation now becomes the second cord-gripping means.

This invention relates in general to machinery for manufacturing tampons of the type commonly used in feminine hygiene. More particularly, the invention concerns an apparatus for applying a continuous cord loop, knotted at its ends, around a pad of absorbent material such as are used in the manufacture of tampons. Such cord loops are ordinarily applied to the pads before they are rolled and compressed into a finished tampon, and serve for aiding the removal of such tampons from the body cavity of the user.

While in general, there are well known prior art machines for continuously performing the operations of looping a cord around a tampon pad and knotting the ends of such cords at selected distances from the pad, the invention features an apparatus of this type employing a rotary knotting hook surrounded by a revolving carrier component which bears a cord conveyor having automatically controlled cord clamping means. The provision of such automatic cord clamping means in combination with the revolving carrier, renders the apparatus of the invention adaptable for high-speed automatic operation essential to efiicient modern mass production, and assures high operational reliability in the control of cord loop size and secure knotting.

The invention is characterized by the fact that to achieve this objective the action of the clamping disc upon the cord conveyors clamp face and of the clamp jaw upon the clamping disc can on each occasion be controlled by a resetting device. The fact that on the one hand the clamping disc is an active clamping agent towards the cord conveyors clamp face and on the other 3,348,866 Patented Oct. 24, 1967 a passive clamping agent towards the controllable clamp jaw makes it possible to control with unusual accuracy and reliability the working operations connected with producing the loose loop made at a distance from the cotton wool pad. Specifically, the length of the cord loop can be exactly regulated on each occasion. The exact distance of the loop knOt from the ends of the cord can be guaranteed. The apparatus is enabled to work at very high speed since reliable clamping and moving the cord through the cord conveyor is achieved. This reliable operation shows particularly in the stage of the work where the rear end of the cord from the completed loop is cut through behind the knot while simultaneously the front end of the completed loop is released from the cord conveyor. Concurrently, however, the cut produces the front end of the cord for the next loop to be made and it must be securely held by the cord conveyor to insure the immediate start of the next looping operation and the completion of the loop connected with it.

To this end, according to the invention, provision is made for control of the clamp jaw against the clamping disc after each revolution of the cord conveyor for the purpose of clamping the conveyed cord by means of a control unit. In so doing it is advisable while clamping the front end of the loop to clamp the rear end securely between the cord conveyors clamping disc and clamp face.

By an extension of the invention provision is further made so that on completion of the knot the front part of the loop can be released by lifting the cord conveyors clamping disc from the clamp face by means of a further control unit.

According to a further distinguishing feature of the invention it is advisable, to insure the start of making the subsequent loop, that after the release of the front end of the loop, but before the rear end of the cord from the completed loop is cut through, the clamping disc should securely clamp the end of the cord for the new loop to be made against the cord conveyors clamp face.

The invention is additionally characterized by the fact that before the rear end of the cord from the conileted loop is cut through, the clamp jaw can be lifted from the clamping disc by means of a further control unit.

Releasing the string between the clamp jaw and the clamping disc brings it about that the section of the cord stretching from the knot to the cord conveyor can be held at the permissible tension, while simultaneously as much cord can be drawn out from the cord supply as is required to tie the knots and for the string drawer to make up for making the front part of the next loop to be formed.

A practical arrangement according to the invention of the clamping disc and the clamp jaw and also of the clamp disc operating in conjunction with the cord conveyors clamp face is that the clamping disc through the action of the resetting unit should be drawn with a rear part of its surface in the direction of rotation against the cord conveyors clamp face and with the front part of its surface in the direction of rotation against the clamp cheek which can be made to open or close by a control rod.

An extension of this method of applying the invention can provide for insuring reciprocal action of the clamp jaw against the clamping disc and of the clamping disc against the cord conveyors clamp face. The clamp jaw through the action of a resetting unit is pressed on to the clamping disc with a force regulated to be less than that by which the clamping disc is held in its clamping position. To do this, one end of the control rod is shaped as a control obturator head working in conjunction with two control units and actuated by the pressure of the elastic resetting unit, the other end of which rests: against the cord conveyor housing. The opposite end of the control rod from the control head lies inside the cord conveyor and is coupled with the clamp jaw by a rocker arm. The rocker arm should preferably possess two attachments, which can at any time engage rotationally with a recess on the control rod, but cannot be axially displaced. The clamp disc, the control rod for the clamp jaw and the clamp jaw itself are best arranged parallel to and separate from each other and movable vertically to the rotational plane of the revolving component or of the cord conveyor.

An advantageous further extension of the invention is that the cord conveyor possesses on the inner side of its rotational track a claw fitted with a notch to take hold of and convey the cord stretching between a feeder roller and a control lever. This claw insures that the string is very accurately and reliably brought opposite the knotting device. It is thus possible for a fixed cutting blade to operate in the gap between the cord conveyor housing and the claw. This insures that each time the cord is to be cut through, it is held taut on both sides of the fixed blade in direct proximity to the cutting operation, so that when the blade reaches the string, it cannot give, but is immediately cut through.

Should the revolving component of the apparatus consist of an endless flexible member passing over guide wheels, of which the first carries a knotting hook and the second a spiral, provision according to the invention is further made for the loop to proceed from the spiral onto a cord passer which through the action of an elastic resetting unit, because of the traction exerted on the loop by the rotation of the knotting hook, can be drawn out from its position roughly parallel with the rotational plane and thus serves to pass the cord to two indentations on the free frontal end of a winding spindle which engages the cotton wool pad. The arrangement of the cord passer insures that the cords to make the loop cannot get twisted, but remain continuously under the tension produced by the operation of the knotting hook. As the result of the increasing traction on the loop the cord passer is progressively drawn from its resting state to a position at an angle, from which the loop leaves the cord passer and immediately afterwards drops into the two indentations on the free frontal end of the winding spindle. In this operation the parts of the cord passer carrying the loop and the elastic resetting unit acting upon it are so regulated that the loop is not placed in the two indentations on the free frontal end of the winding spindle until the exact moment when the, knotting hook makes the knot loop and the knot loop passes from the knotting hook.

The cord passer according to the invention can be conveniently made as a fork, the prongs of which are slightly further apart from each other than the external diameters of the spiral. The fork is held by the elastic resetting unit in roughly the same planeat its free outer end as that in which the loop passes from the spiral, Provision is thus made for the loop to be passed from the spiral to the cord passer at the moment when the rear end of the cord is clamped between the clamp jaw and the clamping disc.

The end of the cord passers fork prongs overlap the frontal surface of the spiral by a part with projections for the loop and tapering outward. This insures that the loop will be safely taken up by the cord passer and come to rest upon the projections provided on the fork prongs for the loop. It is very practical for the cord passer to be positioned for swivelling on an axis parallel with the rotational plane of the revolving component and between the axis of the revolving components two guide wheels.

According to the invention, the spiral walk moves early in the direction of its frontal side into a nozzle extending somewhat tangentially beyond the spirals circumference and which when the spiral is rotated a short distance can be moved past the end of the cord passers fork prongs serving for the uptake of the loop. This insures that the intended section of the loop shall be continuously moved on to the cord passer. It is practical for the spiral walk to 4 extend some 360 over the spirals circumference. A further. extension of the invention provides for a guide cone set coaxially between the guide wheel and the-spiral in such a way that the cone tapers towards the spiral right down to the spirals diameter; This insures that the cord extending from the cord conveyor is'carried under perfect conditions and without excessive friction to the inner section of the spiral walk.

Should the rotary knotting hook placed coaxially with the guide wheel for the revolving component be surrounded by a cord guide curve, provision is made according to the invention that the curve be shut and passes an arm within the field of the cutting blade parallel with.

the revolving component, which in the direction of the cord passers movement with the fixed cutting blade set against the direction of rotation overlaps the parallel planes running at a distance from each other vertically to the cord passers rotational plane.

It is further desirable to insure the safe movement of the cord for the loop to be formed to place in the direction of rotation and in front of a feeder roller on the housing a guidereel stretching in the direction of the cutting blade transversely to the two leaders of the revolving component to right below the arm of the cord guide curve stretching parallel with the fixed blade.

It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for applying, removal cord loops around absorbent pads used for manufacturing tampons.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as aforesaid which can be operated automatically to apply such removal cord loop around successively introduced absorbent pads.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as aforesaid which can be operated with a single line cord supply means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as aforesaid wherein the beginning cord ends for each successive loop are securely clamped by auto-- paratus as aforesaid wherein finished cord loops are automatically severed from the incoming cord stock.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed,

description and accompanying drawings in-whichz FIG. 1 is a general view of the apparatus according.

to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view from above of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a larger-scale version of the cord conveyor seen in outline in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is an elevation of FIG; 4,

FIG. 6 is a front view of the cord conveyor in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a section along the line VII-VII in FIG. 4,

FIG. 8 is a section along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 is the apparatus shown diagrammatically under operational conditions, which illustrate the cord conveyor roughly as in FIGS. 7 and 8,

FIG. 10 is a section along line XX in FIG. 6, and

FIG. 11 is the cord conveyor under operational con-- ditions as in FIG. 10 withthe apparatus shown diagrammatically.

FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 9 and ll illustrate the housing 1 of apparatus for the continuous loose looping of layers or pads 2 of cotton wool used to manufacture tampons,

particularly for feminine hygiene with a cord 3 for withdrawal and for the continuous knotting of the ends of the cord3 at some distance from the cotton wool pad 2.

The cotton wool pads 2 are fed out through an opening 4 in the housing 1. A knotting hook 5 is fitted in the housing 1 and arranged to be power-rotated. Set coaxially with the axis of the knotting hook 5 is the axis of a guide wheel 6, which is coupled by an endless flexible drive chain member 7 with another guide wheel 8 of the same size. The power for one of the guide wheels 6 or 8 and for the knotting hook 5 can be supplied through intermediate gears from a common motor, which has not been shown in order to simplify the drawing. The rotating endless chain 7 carries a cord conveyor 9, the clamping disc 10 of which can on each occasion be reciprocally controlled against the cord conveyor 9 clamp face 11 and the clamp jaw 12 against the clamping disc 10 through the action of a resetting unit such as the unit 13 or 14.

The control of the clamp jaw 12 against the clamping disc 10 takes place after each revolution of the cord conveyor 9 for the purpose of clamping the cord 3, stretching between a feeder roller 15 and a control lever 16 for the completed knot by means of a control unit 17 taking the form of a pressure reel with eccentric pegs. Before the clamp jaw 12 is withdrawn from the clam-ping disc 10 by a control unit 17 through a control head 23, the cord conveyor 9 with its control head 42 has already passed by the control unit 17 without actuating the control head 42, and hence the clamp jaw 19, because the control head 42 possesses a cleft slightly wider than the control unit 17. Always, provided that the cord conveyor 9 already takes with it the front end of the cord 3 for the loop to be fonrned, this end will be securely clamped between the cord conveyor 9 clamping disc 10 and clamp face 11 during the clamping of the rear end of the cord 3 forming the loop, which is stretched between the feeder roller 15 and the control lever 16. Consequently, at that moment the length of the loop formed is exactly regulated. The cord conveyor '9 next takes both cords of the loop into the working area of a cord guide curve 18 serving simultaneously as a cord divider in such a way that both cords are led beneath the cord guide curve 18 and during the continued movement of the cord conveyor 9 are seized by the knotting hook 5 while the conveyed cord is carried along on the outer side of the curve 18.

After completion of the knot through the knotting hook 5 which at least during the knotting operation rnoves against the direction x in which the cord conveyor 9 is rotating, the front end of the loop is released as the cord conveyor 9 clamping disc 10 is lifted from the clamp face 11 by a further control unit 19. After the release of the front end of the completed loops cord, but before the cutting of the completed loops rear cord end by a fixed cutting blade 20, the clamping disc 10 firmly clamps the end of the cord 3 for the new loop to be made, which prior to cutting by the fixed blade still constitutes a continuous cord with the completed loops rear end, against the cord conveyor 9 clamp face 11. This occurs immediately after the passage of the control unit 19, so that the cord 3 for the new loop to be made is securely held by the cord conveyor 9.

Before the rear end of the completed loops cord 3 is cut through by the fixed cutting blade 20 from the front end of the cord 3 for the next loop to be made, the clamp jaw 12 is briefly raised from the clamping disc 10 by the control unit 19. As a result, the rear end of the completed loops cord 3 is released so that the section of cord stretching from the knotting hook 5 and the cord conveyor 9 is kept under the permissible tension and if necessary as the result of the traction exerted by the knotting hook 5 a further length of cord 3 can be drawn out sufiiciently for forming the knot and for the cord conveyor 9 to take up for making the front end of the next loop to be formed. Unlike control unit 17, control unit 19 is made so wide that when the cord conveyor 9 moves in direction X, control head 42, despite its cleft, is pressed upwards by control unit 19 with the result that the clamping disc 10 is lifted off the clamp surface 11.

As is evident particularly from FIGS. 4, 7 and 10 the cord conveyor 9 clamping disc 10, the clamp jaw 12 and also the clamp face 11 are so arranged that through the action of a resetting unit, the rear part 10a of the clamp discs surface in the direction of rotation x is drawn against the cord conveyor 9 clamp face 11 and a front part 10b in a given direction of rotation is drawn against the clamp jaw 12, which can be brought into an open or closed position by a control pin 22. Here, through the action of the pin resetting device 22 the clamp jaw 12 is pressed against the clamping disc 10 with a force regulated to be less than that with which the clamp disc is held in its clamping position by the resetting device 13. The end of the control rod 22, which operates in conjunction with the control unit 19 is shaped as an obturator head. The control head provides support for one end of resetting device 14 formed of a pressure spring, the other end of which rests on a plate-shaped extension 24 of a box 25. The box crosses one part of the endless member 7 and with its end engages a hole 26 bored into the cord conveyor housing 27. The end of the control rod 22 at the opposite end from the control head 23 passes so that it can be longitudinally displaced through the box 25 and a reduced diameter extension 28 of the bored hole 26 and is coupled by a tipping lever 29 with the clamp jaw 12. The tipping lever 29 is swivel-mounted on the outer longitudinal side in the direction of rotation of the cord conveyor housing on a peg 30, which is tightly bolted on to the cord conveyor housing and protected against axial displacement by a screw 31. On one end the tipping lever has an attachment 32 set transversely to its tipping plane, with which it engages a recess 33 of the control rod 22, the length of which is regulated to be somewhat larger than the diameter of the attachment.

At its other end the tipping lever 29 is equipped with a further attachment 34 which engages in a direction parallel with attachment 32 a recess 35 of a peg 36 on the clamp jaw. The recess 35 similarly extends over a distance regulated to be only slightly greater than the diameter of the attachment 34. The peg 36 goes directly into the cord conveyor housing. Thus the tipping lever 29 engages rotationally with both its attachments 32 and 34 the recesses 33 and 35 of the control rod 22 and 36 of the clamp jaw, but cannot be axially displaced.

The clamping disc 10 is positioned coaxially with a control rod 37 and protected against axial displacement on it by a screw 38. The clamping disengages with a collar a hole 39 bored into the cord conveyor housing, which is laterally in part delimited by the clamp jaw. The control rod 37 leads into a box 40, which is protected against axial displacement towards the cord conveyor housing by a pin 45. This box crosses a further part of the endless member 7 and is extended like a plate at 41 on the side turned away from the clamping disc 10. This plateshaped extension similarly provides support for one end of the resetting device 13 formed of a pressure spring, while the other end rests on the inner side of the control head 42, which forms the end of the control rod lying opposite the clamping disc. It can therefore be seen that the clamping disc 16, the control rod 22 for the clamping disc 10 and the clamp jaw with its peg 36 are arranged some distance apart and parallel to each other about vertically to the rotational plane of the flexible member 7 or of the cord conveyor 9 and can be axially displaced.

A claw 43 is placed on the inner side of the cord conveyors direction of rotation x at some distance from the cord conveyor housing. The claw is provided with a notch 44 on its frontal side, into which after every revolution the part of the cord comes to rest which stretches between the guide reel 15 and the control lever 16. The claw is set at a distance from and parallel to the cord conveyor housing and thus creates a rectangular space into which the fixed cutting blade 20 protrudes. The fixed blades cutting edge 20a is set opposite the outer frontal edge of the cord guide curve 18 in the direction of the apparatus housing l in such a way that only that section of the cord is cut through which stretches between the cord conveyors clamp jaw 12 and clamping disc 10 over the claws notch 44 to the knot tier so that the cord 3 for forming the new loop which is moving over the guide curves outer frontal surface 18a can move past the blade. This effect is aided by an arm 18b on the guide curve which sets parallel to and at a distance from the upper leader 7a of the endless member 7 with the fixed blade overlaps the planes parallel with and apart from each other lying vertically to the cord conveyors rotational lane. p FIGS. 1 to 3 in particular bring out a spiral 50, which is fastened ooaxially on the guide wheel 8..From this spiral the completed loop moves to a cord passer 51, which through the action of an elastic resetting unit 52 under the pressure exerted on the loop by the rotation of the knot tier can be swiveiled out of its position roughly parallel with the rotational plane of the rotating member 7. The cord passer here acts by passingthe cord of the completed loop into two indentations 53, 53a on the free frontal end of a winding spindle 54 which overlaps the layers of cotton wool on both sides by a width corresponding roughly to the cotton wools length. The parts of the cord passer 51 moving the loop and the resetting unit acting upon themare so regulated that the loop does not reach the two indentations of the winding spindle until the moment when the knotted loop lying round the knotting hook moves ofl it. The cord passer 51 is forkshaped, the prongs 51a, 51b of which are at a distance from each other slightly greater than the external diameter of the spiral 50. The free ends of the prongs are held in the plane. at which the loop moves from the spiral. This provides for the movement of the loop to the cord passer at the moment when the rear end of the cord is clamped between the clamp jaw and the clamping disc from the spiral to the cord passer. The ends of the cord passers prongs extend beyond the spirals front surface with a part, which with projections, one of which is shown in FIG. 2 as 510, tapers outwards to a point for the loop. The cord passer is designed to pivot on an axis 55, arranged between the axes of the two endless flexible members guide wheels, parallel with and at a distance from the rotating members rotational plane.

The spiral run 56 of the spiral runs early in the direction of its frontal side into a nozzle 57 extending some what tangentially and axially beyond the spirals circumference, which when the spiral is rotated a short distance in thedirection of the rotating member can be moved past the end of the cord passer 51s prongs serving for the uptake of the loop. The spiral run extends some 360 over the spiral.

A guide cone 5% is set coaxially between the guide wheel 8 and the spiral 50 in such a way that the cone tapers toward the spiral right down to the latters diameter.

To insure reliable movement of thecord for the loop to be formed, a guide reel 60 is provided on the housing 1 which stretches from the edge of the housing in the direction of rotation in front of the control unit 17 transversely to the direction of the two leaders of the endless flexible member over the end of the control lever 16 right up to a short distance from the cord guide curve arm 18c and is itself slightly curved at the end. The cord guide reel thus insures that the cord which is looped by the cord conveyor round the cotton wool remains in a determined plane and the knotted loop can be relied on to encircle the knot control lever 16. The latter can be actuated only by a knotted loop. Whenever no knot is tied, the control lever 16 remains in its tilted position. In that event, the time relay is not broken and the machine stopped.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for applying removal cord loops around tampon pads which comprises a cord conveyor disposed for movement in an orbital path around a tampon pad, said cord conveyor having a first cord gripping means for gripping the forward end portionof a continuous length cord to carry said forward end along said orbital path to form acord loop surrounding said tampon pad, said cord conveyor having a second cord gripping means disposed for gripping a portion of said continuous length cord defining the rear end portion of said cord loop, and knotting means disposed for operative engagement with said forward end cord portion and with a portion of said continuous cord length following said rear end portion to join said forward and rear end portions with a knot to form a closed cord loop around said tampon pad.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, including means for severing the knotted and closed cord loop from the remainder of said continuous cord length.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, including guide means disposed for operative engagement with said cord loop to establish a predetermined circumferential length thereof.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, including means disposed for operative engagement with said closed cord loop to twist same aboutan axis lying approximately in the plane of' said loop.

5. Apparatus for the continuous loose looping of layers of cotton wool used to manufacture tampons particularly for feminine hygiene with a cord for removal and for the continuous knotting of the endsof the cord at a predetermined distance from the cotton wool, which apparatus comprises a rotary knotting hook, orbiting means therearound, a cord conveyor operatively associated with.

a loop take up and release means spaced from said knotting hook wherein said clamping disc is adapted to be reciprocally controllable within said orbital path against a clamp face and a clamp jaw of said cord conveyor, which clamp jaw is reciprocally controllable against said clamping disc through a resetting spring, and means adapted .to control the clamp jaw against the clamp disc adapted to clamp a cord therebetween after a revolution of. said-cord conveyor.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein when said clamp disc is pressed against said clamp face of the cord conveyor, said clamp jaw is adapted to be briefly raised from said clamp disc whereby the rear end of the cord of the formed loop is released, thereby facilitating cutting of said cord.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein a guide reel is provided which extends from the edge of the housing in the direction of rotation in front of the=control unit transversely to the direction of the two leaders of an endless flexible member over the end of a control lever up to a short distance from the arm of the cord guide curve and is itself slightly curved at the end.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said knotting hook is adapted to counter-rotate with respect to said cord conveyor after the formation of a knot in said cord whereby the front end of a cord loop thus formed is released, and containing further control means adapted toraise said clamp disc from said clamp face and adapted to reset said clamp disc, after the release of the front end of said loop, but prior to the separation of the rear end of said cord of said formed loop, whereby clamping a cord.

9 setting spring is adapted to draw a rear part of said clamping disc in the direction of rotation against the clamp face of the cord conveyor and to draw a front part of its surface in the direction of rotation against the clamp jaw and including a control rod adapted to clamp or open said clamp jaw.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein one end of the control rod is formed into a control obturator head adapted to work in conjunction with two control elements under pressure from the resetting spring, the other end of which spring rests on a plate-shaped extension of a member which is disposed in a bore of the cord conveyor housing, and wherein the end of the control rod opposite the obturator head is coupled within the cord conveyor through a tipping lever, with the clamp jaw, which tipping lever is pivotally and axially displaceably engaged at two points of the control rod and the clamp aw.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the clamp disc, the clamp jaw and the control rod are displaceably arranged substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart in a position substantial vertically with respect to the plane of the orbit component of the cord conveyor.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the cord conveyor possesses on the inner side of its rotational track a claw arranged at a distance from the cord conveyor housing, which claw is provided with a front face notch adapted to pick up and guide the loops cord running along between the guide roller and a control lever for the completed knot, wherein a fixed blade is adapted to protrude with its cutting edge into an interspace which is formed by the space between the cord conveyor housing and the gripping claw after the lifting of the clamp disc from the cord conveyor housing.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 in which the revolving component is formed as an endless flexible member, which is moved over two guide wheels, of which the first carries a knotting hook and the second carries a spiral, which is adapted to release, after predetermined revolutions, the cord positioned over the spiral in the form of a loop, wherein a cord passer is provided which, against the action of the resetting spring, because of the pressure exerted upon the loop by the rotation of the knotting hook can be pivoted from its position, which is approximately parallel to the rotational plane and which serves to pass the loops cord into two indentations on the free frontal end of a winding spindle that engages the cotton wool pad, is adapted to pick up a completed loop sliding from the spiral.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said cord passer has the shape of a fork, the prongs of which are at a slightly greater distance apart than the external circumference of the spiral, wherein the fork is kept by a resetting spring at an acute angle with respect to that plane of the loop at which the loop slides off the spiral.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said guide projections of the fork prongs of the cord passer are arranged at a small distance from the circumference section which faces the knotting hook at the free end of the spiral, while the cord passer is at rest, wherein the fork prongs of the cord passer extend beyond the guide projections on the averted side of the housing up to a short distance from the free front end of the spiral.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said cord passer is pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the rotational plane of the revolving roller chain and arranged between two guide wheels of the roller chain.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein a nozzle is provided, within the range of the front end outlet of a helical loop guide groove of the spiral, which extends approximately tangentially beyond the circumference of the spiral and which protrudes from the front face of the spiral in such a manner that the loop when sliding over the nozzle is securely passed onto the guide projections of the cord passer.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18- wherein a spiral walk extends over approximately 360 of the circumference of the spiral over its length.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said knotting hook is pivotally arranged coaxial to a guide wheel for the revolving flexible curve, wherein a cord guide curve is closed and possesses an arm arranged in the field of the fixed cutting blade parallel to the revolving roller chain, which arm overlaps the fixed cutting blade directed against the direction of rotation in the direction of motion of the cord conveyor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,336,744 12/ 1943 Manning 19-1445 2,797,634 7/1957 Rueckert -27 3,247,781 4/1966 Meckler 100-27 3,252,725 5/1966 Matthews et al. 289-18 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. L. K. RIMRODT, Assistant Examiner.

Disclaimer 3,348,866.He1'bert Eta, Wuppertal-Langerfeld, Germany. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TAMPON REMOVAL CORDS. Patent dated Oct. 24, 1967. Disclaimer filed Aug. 27, 1979, by the assignee, Dr. Carl H aim, G/mJLH. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1-20 inclusive of said patent.

[Oficial Gazette June 10, 1.980.] 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING REMOVAL CORD LOOPS AROUND TAMPON PADS WHICH COMPRISES A CORD CONVEYOR DISPOSED FOR MOVEMENT IN AN ORBITAL PATH AROUND A TAMPON PAD, SAID CORD CONVEYOR HAVING A FIRST CORD GRIPPING MEANS FOR GRIPPING THE FORWARD END PORTION OF A CONTINUOUS LENGTH CORD TO CARRY SAID FORWARD END ALONG SAID ORBITAL PATH OF FORM A CORD LOOP SURROUNDING SAID TAMPON PAD, SAID CORD CONVEYOR HAVING A SECOND CORD GRIPPING MEANS DISPOSED FOR GRIPPING A PORTION OF SAID CONTINUOUS LENGTH CORD DEFINING THE REAR END PORTION OF SAID CORD LOOP, AND KNOTTING MEANS DISPOSED FOR OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FORWARD END CORD PORTION AND WITH A PORTION OF SAID CONTINUOUS CORD LENGHT FOLLOWING SAID REAR END PROTION TO JOIN SAID FORWARD AND REAR END PORTIONS WITH A KNOT TO FORM A CLOSED CORD LOOP AROUND SAID TAMPON PAD. 